Method of and apparatus for burning ballast



Feb. 2 192s. 1,511,701

H. G. BUTLER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BURNING BALLAST Filed July 6,1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Mggmvo.

M ATTORNEY.

BY Zl/W 7m H. G. BUTLER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BURNING BALLASTFiled July 6,- 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /3

W I #54- ATTORNEY.

H. G. BUTLER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BURNING BALLAST Feb. 2 1926.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1925 m 9% 0 1 W W INVENTOR.

461566 By M I ff ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

UNITED armies HENRY G. BUTLER, OF HG JSTON, TEXAS.

IVIETHQD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BURNING- BALLAST.

Application filed Suly 6, 1925. Serial No. 41,534.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HnNnY G. BU'rL-nn, av

citizen of th United States, and a resident of Houston, in the county ofHarris and State 01 Texas, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Methods t and Apparatus for Burning Ballast, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in methods of and apparatus forburning ballast.

It relates particularly to the burning of raw earth for the productionof railway ballast.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel method ofburning raw earth to produce ballast, which afi'ords economicaloperation, large production, which produces uniform and a superiorproduct, and which permits of the use of an inexpensive apparatus forthe burning of raw earth.

My invention provides further a novel apparatus for carrying into effectmy improved method, which embodies a simple construction, which isdurable, notv liable to get out of order, and which requires a relativesmallv amount of labor.

My invention provides still further nove means for effecting acontinuous production, novel and eflicient means for feeding along thepile of earth as it is burned, and novel means for effecting combustionin the pile.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my improved apparatus forcarrying into effect my improved method,

Fig. 1. is a. plan view of a battery of two kilns which embody myimproved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section, parts omitted and parts brokenaway, on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view, parts being, omitted and parts beingbroken away,

otone of my improved kilns.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line Ir-4: of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a still further enlarged cross section, parts being omitted,on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters designate sin'iilar parts in the differentviews.

In the preferred form of my apparatus, the kiln is provided with an airchamber adapted to hold compressed air, and which is pro dried with sidewalls 1, a lower end wall 2, and an upper end wall 3. The wall 2 islocated in a ditch l into which the burned ballast from the kilns isdumped for subsequent removal.

The air chamber is provided with a ceiling"- comprising two sets oflongitudinal supporting members adapted to support the raw earth to beburned, and which may comprise inverted T rails 5 and 6, whichpreterably incline downwardly toward the ditch 1. The rails 5 aredisposed above and spaced apart from and overlapping the adjacent rail 6of the other set. The lower rails 6 are disposed in pairs, the rails ofeach pair having their bases adjoining each other, and the pairs beingspaced apart, thereby aflording air passage means between the rails 5and 6by which air under pressure may pass from the air chamber throughthe pile of earth which lies on the ails 5 and 6.

The side walls 1 ot the air chamber we tend above, say a foot or twofeet above the rails 5, thus affording a support for the sides of thepile of earth on the rails 5 and 6.

The upper and lower ends of the rails 6 are respectively supported onthe walls 3 and 2. In the air chamber may be provided pillars 7 havingmounted on them transverse bars 7 which provide intermediate supportsfor the rails 6.

The rails 5 are mounted in grooved rollers 8, some of which aresupported on brackets 9 carried by the walls 2 and 3, and some supportedon cross bars 8' carried by the side walls 1 and pillars 10 located inthe air chamber.

The rails 5 are tied together by cross bars 11 to which are securedangle bars 12 disposed in pairs, the bars of said pairs beingrespectively riveted to opposite sides of the rails 5. The rails 5 arelongitudinally reciprocated by means of segmental gears 13 whichrespectively mesh with longitudinal rac as 1 1 respectively secured tosome of the bars 5 at the under side thereof, the gears 13 being rigidlysecured to a horizontal transverse rock shaft 15.

Rigidly secured also to the rock shaft 15 are segmental gears 16 eachhaving an arm 17. Respectively pivoted to said arms are reciprocativebars 18 to which reciprocation may be provided jointly by any suitablemeans, not shown. The gears 16 also respectively mesh with racks 14fastened to the. under side of two of the rails 5. The rock shaft ispivotally supported at its ends compressed air,

in the side walls 1 of the air chamber, and it may also be supportedintern'iediate of its ends in pillars 19 in the air chamber.

In one side wall 1 may be provided a door 20 for entrance and egresswith respect to the air chamber. The lower wall 52 of said chamber maybe )rovided with one or more clean out openings 21, normally closed bydoors 22.

F or providing air under pressure in the air chamber, and for blowingair upwardly between the rails 5 and 6 and through the pile of earth 23to be burner, for effecting complete combustion, there is in the airchamber a transverse air pipeQel which extends through one wall 1 andwhich is connected to any suitable source of supply of such as a blower,not shown.

Connected to the air pipe 2% are longitudina air pipes 25 from each ofwhich upwardly extend pipes 26 which discharge upwardly between tiierails 6 and 5.

F or engaging and pushing against the upper end of the pile of raw earthto be burned, when the bars 5 are forced downwardly, there is fastenedto the rails 5 at their upper sides and end portions an upwardlyextending pusher member comprising an angle plate 21 which is disposedtransversely and has one flange secured to the upper sides of the rails5, and the other flange of which extends upwardly.

In practice, there may be a battery of kilns disposed side by side andspaced apart, as shown in Fig. 1, in which two kilns are shown, both ofwhich discharge into the ditch 4. The kilns may all be constructedalike, so that the description above may be applied to each. The kilnsmay also all be operated alike, so that a description of the operationof one will suffice for each.

In the preliminary charging of the kiln, raw earth in contact with fuel,preferably coal, and preferably mixed therewith is dumped upon the rails5 and 6 until the pile 23 reaches to about two thirds of the lengths ofthe rails from the lower ends thereof, and to the depth, say six feet,which the pile is to be. Ignited fuel is then placed on the upper bareportions of the rails 5 and 6 and upon such fuel fresh raw earth mixedwith coal is dumped until the kiln is filled to and wholly covering theupper side of the pusher plate 27. The compressed air is then permittedto enter the pipe 2% from its source of supply, the air passing thenthrough the pipes 25 to and through the pipes 26 by which the air isdischarged into the air chamber and between the rails 5 and 6. The airchamber is made as tight as possible so as to afford small leakage.

After the fire has been well started, and is burning the coal mixed withthe earth, the operating bars 18 are reciprocated three or four times,thereby reciprocating the ceiling .wardly, the inclination of the bars 5and 6 assisting in this movement, and the pusher 'member 2? bearingagainst the rear upper end of the pile 23, A portion of the front low rend of the pile 28 is dumped into the ditch 4. As the bars 5 in theirreciprocation, move upwardly, they will carry with them sufficientignited material to ignite the fresh mixed earth and coal, which is nowdumped upon the rails 5 and 6 at the upper end of the pile to andcovering the plate 27.

The bars 5 are given the series of reciprocations above described abouthourly, the length of each reciprocation being such that the earth atthe upper end of the pile will be on the rails 5 and 6 about 24 hoursbefore it is a finished cooled product. The first increment of earthwhich was put in the kiln to the extent of two thirds of the length ofthe pile, will be discharged into the ditch land then reburned. Theearth which was afterwards deposited in the kiln will be completelyburned after it has traveled about two thirdsdownwardly in the kiln,where combustion will have been completed. This finished product willthen cool during the remainder of its downward journey until it isdischarged into the ditch l, when it will have cooled sutiiciently to behandled. It may then be removed from the ditch by any suitable means,and will be ready for use.

When the supporting rails 5 are upvmrdly moved, they will pull upwardlysuiiident burning material to ignite the fresh material added to theupper end of the pile after the pile has been moved downwardly and lefta vacancy between the pile and the push plate 27, as shown in Fig. -lThe fresh raw earth and coal mixed therewith will fill the vacancy andprevent leakage of air at that point excepting through the pile.

By using the air chamber and compressed air therein, a bountiful supplyof air for combustion is afforded in the pile 23, and the pressure ofair in the chamber against the earth lying on the rails 5 and 6 willtend to prevent material passing downwardly into the air chamber. Thearrangement of the rails 5 overlapping the rails 6 also tends to preventearth passing downwardly into the air chamber.

By having the surface of the rails 6 having a supporting area greaterthan the supporting surface of the rails 5. as shown, the upwardmovement of the latter will cause only enough ignited material to beupwardly drawn to ignite the freshly deptrs'teo material at the upperend of the pile. The slanting supportin surfaces of the rails 5 Ill) and6, assists, by the gravity of the pile, the downward feeding movement.An incl-ina tionof about fifteen. degrees has been found to be asuitable slant for the purpose.

The number and length of reciprocations of the rails 5 for each downwardhourly forward feeding operation of the pile may be varied, as may belapse of tim between the feedin operations, the same to: be determinedby the character of the material which is being burned. Also the amountof fuel to be mixed with the raw earth to: effect proper burning of thelatter may be deteri'niiied by trial.

Thesintensity. of the the may also be 'aried to suit the material to beused, so that the product may be of the nature of brick or even:subjected to incipient or more C0ll lpletefusion. The amount of fuelused and the volume of air employed sl-iould be such that completecombustion has been effected and the earth burned to the desired extentbefore the finished product is discharged from the kinrinto the ditch 4,so that no partly burned material is dumped into the ditch, excepting atthe initial starting of the kiln, and so that the finished dischargedmaterial is cool enough to be conveniently handled.

Any suitable means may be employed for depositing the mixed raw earthand fuel into the kiln, and if desired, the earth and fuel may bedeposited in alternate layers in the kiln instead being intermingled asby mixing;

I do not limit my invention to the struc' ture nor specific stepsdescribed, as many modifications may be made, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is=:

lfThe method of burning ballast consisting in forcing; air underpressure through a pile of raw earth in contact with burning; fuel andemploying gravity to feed the pile along.

i The method of burning ballast consist ing" in forcing air underpressure through raw earth mixed with burning fuel; and feed- Y ing themixture downwardly during" the burning operation.

3. The method of burning ballast consisting in feeding downwardly rawearth. in contact with: burning fuel, adding new raw earth and fuel tothat being fed, and forcing air underpressutre through the mass that isbeing fed along.

4. The method of burning ballast consist ing in feeding downwardly rawearth mixed with burning fuel, adding new raw earth and fuel to thatbeing); fed along, and. forcing; air under pressure through the massthat is being fed along.

5. The method of burning ballast consisiing in forming into. a. pile rawearth in con tact with burning fuel, feeding the pile downwardly, addingnew aw earth and. fuel to the rear end of said pile, and forcing airthrough the pile.

6. The method of burning ballast consisting in forming into a pile rawearth mixed with burning fuel, feeding the pile downwardly, adding. rawearth and fuel to the rear end of the pile, and forcing air through themass.

7. The methodof burning ballast consisting in. forn'i iiig into a. pileraw earth in contact with burning fuel, isposingthe pile on an inclinedsurface, feet .ng' the pile endwise downwardly on said inclined surface,adding raw earth and fuel to the upper ei'id: of the pile, and forcingair through the pile.

8; The method of burning, ballast consisting in forming into a pile rancart-h mixed with burning fuel, disposing, the pile on an inclinedsurface, feeding the-pile eiub wise downwardly on said inclined surface,ding raw earth and fuel to the upper end of the pile, and forcing airthrough. the pile.

9*. The method of burning ballast cons-istin r in forming into a pileraw earth mixed with. burning fuel, feeling the pile downwardly, andadding raw earth and fuel to the upper nd of? the pile.

10. The method of burning ballast consisting); in forming into a pileraw earth mixed with burning; fuel on an inclined surface, feeding" thepile downwardly on said inclined surface, and adding; raw earth and fuelto the upperend of the pile.

ll. The method of burning ballast consi tiiig in: forming into a pileraw earth and burning fuel in contact therewith, feeding: the piledownwardly, discharging the burnt ea'th from the lower end ofthe pileafter c-iiiznliusition has been completed, and adding to the upper endof the pile frei h earth and fuel.

fhe method 0t burning" ballast consisting in forming into a pile rawearth mined with burning fuel, feeding the pile downwardly, discharging;the burnt earth from the lower end of the pile after coinbustiou has.been completed, and adding: to the upper end of the pile fresh earth andfuel.

1 The method consisting in: forming on an inclined surface apile of rawearthdaud burning fuel. in contact therewith, feedinn'. the pi e endwisedownwardly on said iiiclined surface, discharging from said SUE face theburnt earth at er combustion has been cor pleted, and feeding fre'h iawearth and. fuel: to the upperendt of the pile.

The method consisting in forn'iing on an inclined surface a pile of rawearth and burningfuel incontact therewith, feeding" din the pile endwisedownwardly, discharging the burnt earth from the lower end of the pileafter combustion has been completed,

adding fresh earth and fuel to the upper end of the pile, and forcingair through the pile.

15. The method consisting in forming on an inclined surface a pile ofraw earth mixed with burning fuel, feeding the pile endwise downwardly,discharging the burnt earth from the lower end of the pile aftercombustion has been completed, adding fresh earth and fuel to" the upperend of the pile, and forcing air through the pile.

16. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber hav ing a ceiling providedwith airpassage means and provided with a reciprocative portion adapted tosupport a pile of eazth to be burned, said portion having means forengaging and pushing against one end of the pile, means forreciprocating said portion endwise of said pile, and means for forcingair into said chamber.

17. In a ballast kiln, a reciprocative support adapted to support a pileof earth to be burned and having means for engaging and pushing againstone end of said pile, means for reciprocating said support, and meansadapted to force air through said pile.

18. In a ballast kiln, a reciprocative support adapted to support a pileof earth to be burned and provided therethrough with air passage meansand having means adapted to engage and push against one end of saidpile, means for reciprocating said support, and means for supplying saidair passage means with air under pressure.

19. In aballast kiln, a reciprocative support adapted to support a pileofearth to be burned and comprising longitudinal bars longitudinallyreciprocative and spaced from each other and an upstanding pusher membercarried by said bars at the rear thereof and adapted to engage and pushagainst the rear end of said pile.

20. In a ballast kiln, a reciprocative sup port adapted to support apile of earth to be burned and comprising longitudinally reciprocativebars spaced from each other and an upstanding pusher member carried bysaid bars at the rear ends thereof and adapted to engage and pushagainst the rear end of said pile, and means for forcing air throughsaid pile and between said bars.

21. In a ballast kiln, a support adapted to support a pile of earth tobe burned eomprising two sets of supportingmembers, the members of oneset being disposed above and spaced apart from and overlappingthemembers of the other set.

22. In a ballast kiln, two sets of members adapted to support a pile ofearth to be burned, the members of each set being spaced from eachother, and the members of one set being above and spaced from andoverlapping the members of the other set, the members of the upper setbeing reciprocative.

.48. In a ballast kiln, two sets of members adapted to support a pile ofearth to be burned, the members of each set being spaced from eachother, and the members of one set being above and spaced from andoverlapping the members of the other set, the members of the upper setbeing reciprocative, and a pusher membercarried by the upper members atthe rear ends thereof and adapted to engage and push against'therear endof said pile.

24. In a ballast kiln, two sets of members adapted to supoprt a pile ofearth to be burned, the members of each set being spaced from eachother, and the members of one set being above and spaced from andoverlapping the members of the other set, the members of the upper setbeing reciprocative, a pusher member carried by the members of the upperset adapted to engage and push against the rear end of said pile, andmeans for forcing air through said pile and between said members of saidsets.

25. In a ballast kiln, a reciprocative support having inclined surfacesadapted to support a pile of earth to be burned, and a pusher membercarried by said support and adapted to engage and push against the rearend of said pile.

26. In a ballast kiln, a reciprocative support having inclined surfacesadapted to support a pile of earth to be burned, a pusher member carriedby said support and adapted to push against the rear end of said pile,and means for forcing air through said pile.

27. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having a ceiling adapted tosupport a pile of earth to. be burned and having air passage meanstherethrough, a portion of the ceiling being reciprocative lengthwise ofsaid pile, the chamber having side Walls which extend above the ceilingat the sides of the pile, said reciprocative portion having means forengaging and pushing against the rear end of the pile.

28. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceiling adaptedto support a pile of earth to be burned and having air passage meanstherethrough, a portion of the ceiling being reciprocative lengthwise ofsaid pile.

29. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceiling adaptedto support a pile of earth to be burned and having air passage meanstherethrough, a portion of the ceiling being reciprocative lengthwise ofthe pile in the direction of the inclination, the reciprocative portionhaving means for engaging and pushing against the rear upper end of saidpile.

30. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceiling adaptedto support a pile of earth to be burned and having air passage meanstherethrough, a portion of the ceiling being reciprocative in thedirection of said inclination and lengthwise of said pile and havingmeans for engaging and pushing downwardly against said pile.

31. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceiling adaptedto support a pile of earth to be burned and having air passage meanstherethrough, a portion of the ceiling being reciprocative in thedirection of said inclination and lengthwise oi said pile and havingmeans for engaging and pushing downwardly against said pile, the chamberhaving side walls extending above said ceiling at the sides of saidpile.

32. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having a ceiling comprising twosets of supporting members, the members of one set being above andspaced from the members of the other set, some of said members of theother set being spaced from each other and overlapped by adjacent onesof the upper members, the upper members being reciprocative lengthwiseof a pile of earth to be burned which is adapted to be supported by saidceiling members.

33. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having a ceiling comprising twosets of supporting members adapted to support a pile of earth to beburned, said members being inclined in the direction of length of saidpile, the members of one set being above and spaced from and overlappingadjacent ones of the under members, some of the latter being spaced fromeach other, the members 01"? the upper set being reciprocative in thedirection of said inclination.

34:. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceilingadapted to support a pile of earth to be burned and comprising two setsof inclined supporting members the members of one set being above andspaced from and overlapping the adjacent members of the other set, saidupper members being reciproeative in the direction of the saidinclination and having means for engaging and pushing downwardly againstsaid pile.

35. In a ballast kiln, an air chamber having an inclined ceiling adaptedto support a pile of earth to be burned and comprising two sets ofinclined supporting members, the members of one set being above andspaced from and overlapping the adjacent members of the other set, theupper members being reciprocative in the direction of said inclination,and an upwardly extending transverse member secured to said uppermembers and adapted to engage the rear upper end of said pile.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY G. BUTLER.

